Best practice form design

[Navyguy]

What do you prefer?

When designing forms for things like employee data (Surname, address, emergency contact, qualifications, medical, etc) do you:

1. Have one form to enter all the data on;
2. Use separate forms;
3. Use one form with several tabs;
4. Others?

Just looking for some ideas as I don't have much of a creative flare.

 

[Mile-O]

Preferably, option 3.

 

[cable]

though on lower spec machines 2 would be nicer performance wise.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Vote for #3

 

[Navyguy]

Any particular reasons?

Easier/faster to build/design?
User friendliness?
Just different?

As for me, they are all slow to build/design and they are all different so what I am mainly thinking about is the user's ability to nav through the DB properly/easily. Right direction?

 

[Oy Vey]

Any particular reasons?

Easier/faster to build/design?
User friendliness?
Just different?

As for me, they are all slow to build/design and they are all different so what I am mainly thinking about is the user's ability to nav through the DB properly/easily. Right direction?

My methodology for designing an interface is to use paper first. Define the data that you need the user to input, and see which parts of it you can infer, default or otherwise not require the user to actually have to type in. Next step is to isolate the essential fields and ensure they are prominent and easy to navigate. After that, you can see how much room the essentials take up and decide what to do with the rest; either move them to a tab, a subform, an independent modal popup, what have you.

After all that is done, I actually try to use the blasted thing myself. If I get annoyed with it sufficiently, its back to the drawing board. Also, if its not too disruptive, try to get the users involved, at least in showing you how they are used to working, not so that they're telling you how it should work.

 

[Navyguy]

I have been reading through some of my books here and cannot find anything on verticle tabs.

Is there such a thing?

Quote" Also, if its not too disruptive, try to get the users involved, at least in showing you how they are used to working, not so that they're telling you how it should work "Quote

Oy Vey:

This sounds like like a good idea. I have not had the opportuntity to create any DB for "paying clients" however I have asked some of my friends to "Test Drive" some of the projects that I have worked on. I have found that they always ask "well could you make it do this and that, that would be pretty cool..."

I suspect a paying customer would be much the same.

 

[pbuethe]

I like to use tab forms. One problem with the navigation by the users, however, is that they usually have their computers on a different resolution than I have mine. This requires me to either resize the form and/or controls so everything fits on their screen, or to make sure I leave the scroll bars active. Otherwise they cannot see the whole form esp. tabs and buttons which are at the top of the form.

 

[Mile-O]

I have been reading through some of my books here and cannot find anything on verticle tabs.

Is there such a thing?

No.

When I want vertical tabs I make my own labels and align them vertically alongside the tab control. I hide the tab's tabs. On the click of the relevant label I set the focus to the relevant page.